Isuzu Motors Limited (Headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan; President & COO: Shinsuke Minami; hereinafter Isuzu), will establish an electric vehicle development and testing facility within the Fujisawa plant to accelerate the development of a full lineup of carbon-neutral (CN) compliant vehicles by 2030. The plan involves introducing testing and evaluation equipment to develop systems and components optimized for commercial electric vehicles, with operations scheduled to commence in June 2026.
In striving to help realize a carbon-neutral (CN) society, Isuzu Group is committed to the deployment of electrified products across all commercial vehicle segments by 2030. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), which are expected to become commonplace in the future, are composed of components that differ significantly from internal combustion engine vehicles. In order to advance the development of electric vehicles optimized for commercial use more rapidly, Isuzu sees it as essential to independently evaluate and develop systems and components. In turn, Isuzu is investing in a new facility for the development of electric components within the Fujisawa plant.
The newly established electric vehicle development and testing facility will employ testing and evaluation equipment for components such as batteries, motors, EV systems, and thermal management. By acquiring a deeper understanding of battery characteristics, the company seeks to maximize battery management performance. Furthermore, it is possible to optimize the functionality of combined EV components such as batteries and motors, as well as optimize the thermal management of the entire system. By utilizing the facility for FCEV systems, Isuzu will conduct advanced energy management and thermal management optimization at the system level. This will contribute to improvements in driving range and performance. By integrating these functionalities into the facility, the company aims to enable faster development of electric vehicles.
In May of this year, Isuzu Group unveiled a 1 trillion yen innovation investment to drive carbon neutrality (CN) and logistics digital transformation (DX) initiatives forward. The establishment of the new electric vehicle development and testing facility is also positioned as part of this initiative. Isuzu Group will continue to strengthen its development framework for CN-compliant vehicles and facilitate their widespread adoption and advancement.
＜Overview of Electric Vehicle Development and Testing Facility＞
Name: Electric Vehicle Development and Testing Facility: “The EARTH lab.” ＊
Location: Buildings 1 and 2 within the Fujisawa plant
Area: Building; Approximately 5,700m2, Floor; Approximately 27,000m2
Height: Approximately 40m (5 stories above ground)
Total Investment: Approximately 40 billion yen
Commencement of Operations: June 2026 (planned)
Key Equipment: Testing and evaluation equipment for batteries, motors, EV systems, thermal management
Key Features:
Installation of solar panels on the roof and side of building
Reduction in CO2 emissions by recovering waste heat from equipment within the facility to power air conditioning
Power regeneration for battery testing and evaluation equipment reduces overall power consumption of the facility
“EARTH” is an abbreviation for “Electric Automotive Research and Test Headquarters.”
SOURCE: Isuzu
